Resistance Recon: Valkyrie

1944: deep in the Masurian forests of East Prussia exists a top-secret fortress unlike any the world has ever seen. Multiple layers of steel-reinforced concrete insulate the enormous bunkers in this complex from potential enemy bombardments.

Built far away from central, urban areas, this fortified area was intended to be hidden from the outside world. Even after initial construction, the structures were camouflaged to appear like overgrown trees and shrubs from the ground and air. Despite the impressive fortifications, this heavily-guarded complex was the site of a daring act of resistance: an assassination attempt.

This wooded military site – in what is now Poland – is the setting for The Resistance: DLC 1’s Multiplayer map Valkyrie. The name comes from ‘Operation Valkyrie’: a daring assassination attempt on the Führer by high-ranking members of the German Army.  While the attempt ultimately failed, the spirit of resistance in any capacity, inspires this historical setting.

This map’s layout brings a mix of areas and engagement types: long sightlines through the map center and tight quarters through the massive bunkers. This varied terrain leaves your weapon loadout as wide-open as you could want because there’s no truly bad choice. If you’re partial to Rifles, you’ll thrive here with ‘em. Their range and damage lend themselves to the sort of gun fights you’ll see in the bunkers and around them. More of an LMG or SMG fan? You’ll no doubt put in work with the MG42s, Orsos and M1928s of the world. The balanced layout allows you to play to your strengths. Which, speaking of layout…

A central bunker, surrounded by a wide path, makes for a high-traffic area with a great likelihood of close-quarters action. When you’re playing Domination, this is your ‘B’ objective and capturing this thing is absolutely brutal. Strap on that Level IV Armored Division, which provides strong resistance to explosives, if you have any hopes of capturing this point.

Entrenched MG 42s at opposite ends of the center street lane provide opportunities to exert control over crucial, high-traffic areas of the map. When navigating covertly, traversing the periphery makes for a wise, tactical way to get from one side of the map to the other. You’ll avoid the chaos of that central bunker and easily get from point ‘A’ to ‘C’ on Domination without encountering too many enemies.

If you begin a match in the corner near Main Street and the Walking Paths, you’ll pass by an intimidating security checkpoint. The would-be assassins passed a briefcase bomb through the tightest of security, somehow without sweating all over the guards. Once through that gate, you’ll come to Main Street. This road surrounds the central bunker containing the meeting room where the attempted coup d’état took place.

Valkyrie only depicts the inner-most complex of the sprawling Wolf’s Lair, a monstrous military instillation hatched from the mind of a paranoid Führer. To escape their botched coup attempt, the assassins had to drive miles through multiple checkpoints just to reach the last security gate at the edge of the facility. Fortunately for you, you don’t have to travel that far to blow up a bomb point in Demolition. Just avoid Sticky Grenades.